The Washington critic., 1887-04-11
TOPICS OF THE DAY.

Who has not heard of Jedge Waxem,
asks the Washington correspondent
Of the Cleveland Leddor. He gets into
the newspapers, is discussed in the
halls Of Congress, and serves as sub
ject for gossip of all kinds. lie comes
TO Congress from "Wayback, on the
Hell.fer.Sartin," and represents the
foibles as well as the ambition of Rep.
resentativc from one of the backwoods
districts. He goes to the Presidents re.
ceptions, to all the parties given by the
big.bugs of the town, relates his expert.
ences with the lobby and the various
kinds of people with whom statesman
must associate, all of which strikes him
as being decidedly novel and decided
Improvement upon the manner In
which things are done at Wayback.
His wife, Mandy, is made to stay at
home more than she desires, for the
reason that the Jedge finds 1t In accord
ance with his tastes to lead bachelor s
life when he comes to Washington.
The Waxem articles have proven a
good card for THE CRITIC, where they
are illustrated, with the Jedge In a
makeup similar to that of BILLY"
Florence in "The Mighty Dollar.
One effect of THE CRITIc articles has
been the bestowal Of the sobriquet Of
"Jedge Waxem" upon certain West.
ern Congressman who does not look
altogether unlike the pictures in The
CRITIC, and whose characteristics are
very much the same.
~
The fact has never been published, 4,
says the Boston Journals correspon.
dent at Washington, that Mrs. Cleve.
land, soon after her marriage, was ten
deied by the Sultan of Turkey the
Order Of the Caliphate. The offer was
made in graceful and pleasant terms by
the Sultan, and was as gracefully and
as pleasantly declined by Mrs. Cleve.
land, speaking through the President
and State DEPARTMENT. There was no
particular political significance attached
to the offer. The term "Caliphate"
simply implies Commander of the
faithful" and the order is one which
Is frequently bestowed upon the wives
OF distinguished men, and Its insignia
IL something In the nature of sash
which could be worn by a lady with
out especial comment.
~
"The first man shot to death in the
Second Army Corps was Jesse May
berry, Seventy first Pennsylvania Vol
unteers," said veteran to "By
stander" of the Philadelphia Ncos
"If any were shot before him / au
not aware of it. The chaplain of Bax'
ter's Fire Zouaves marched with him
Troops were drawn up forming three
sides of a square. Far off we heard
the solemn notes of the National Dead
March. AS the funeral cortege ap
preached the music increased In vol
ume. Presently the head of the pro
cession came In sight. Four mer
carried q coffin on their shoulders
Before them the band slowly marched
Between the coffin and the musicians
Jesse Mayberry and the chaplain
walked together. In the rear pacet
the party whose rifles were to extin
guish the soldiers life. Mayberry
stepped firmly, bringing his left foo
down emphatically in time to his owl
dirge. His cap was set jauntily on on,
side and his thumbs were stuck In th
armholes of his vest. He marched
steadily forward, and, having seen hi
coffin placed by the open grav
he would soon occupy, sat Oh
the box while an officer read the pro
aanlirna nf tha mn vital thot hn,
doomed him. saw him wipe tn
death sweat from his face repeatedly
and although many a comrade hat
fallen by my side in battle, for tn
first time felt my knees weaken, and
turned my head away. Prellminarie
over. the chaplain said few words
shook Mayberry's hand, and bade hir
farewell. The officer in charge boun
his eyes and also shook his hand, an
left him sitting on his coffin. Here wa
the greatest strain on the observers
The officer rapidly approached tn
firing party. Shoulder arms! Ever
word was heard by the poor fellow o
the coffin. Make ready Aiml Fire
And Jesse May berry was a corpse. !"
~
In his article on "Uncle Sans Book
Case" In the April CosmOpolita
Frank G. Carpenter says: The NJ
tional Library was founded about 1901
and the first installment of books wa
carted to Washington in trunks, The
were ordered from London. and the
cost, altogether, $4,000. The first j.
brarian of Congress was John Beckley
aVirginian. He was the appOintee G
President Jefferson. He was ais
Clerk of the House Of Representative
and his successor, Mr.. Patrick NJ,
gruder, also occupied the position c
Clerk Of the House, Magruder WI
Librarian of Congress at the time thl
the British captured Washington, an
he was blamed for not getting tn
books out of the Capitol before the
got here. They burned the library
and used the books as kindling. woot
To replace them, Congress bougl
Jefferson's library for little over $23
900. Jefferson was in sore need q
money at this time, and he sold th
library for just about half what It CO.
him. Jeiferson's private secretary
Il